I brewed up a Czech Pils for this competition and it won the Florida “regionals” for which the prize was a trip for two to Chicago for the finals. This is probably the best prize I’ve ever earned from a homebrew competition.
But wait, it gets better. Here we are in Chicago and my beer made it to second place! I was one beer away from a trip for two to the Czech Republic!
I’m pretty stoked.
Congrats! Great Job!
bows gratz!
Sent from the future…
Very impressive. Congrats!
Care to share any tips? I’ve made a lot of German pilsners but haven’t tried a boh pils yet. Did you go with the ultra-soft water?
Awesome Jeff. Just awesome. 
Yes, I cut my water with 2/3 distilled water to get close to the source water.
Double decoction, 95% floor-malted Wyerman Pils malt and 5% Vienna, all Saaz hops at about 35 IBU’s, 860 Bock yeast. I had split the batch and used Pils yeast on the other half, which didn’t have the malt complexity.
A big +1 on that. Fan*******tastic! 8) Recipe? Process?
Nice job. I’m assuming PU’s brewmaster was one of the judges again this year? If so, that’s some high praise to take 2nd. Congrats.
Tasted Jeff’s beer last night, it was worthy. Then got to shake his hand when he got the second place.
My beer struck out. I had used the PU yeast, but my beer was much too dry. Got to try the 860.
Neat award too, post a pic Jeff.
Very, very nice Jeff!
You’ll have to rebrew and enter it in the NHC in Philly.
Nice work! Just plain awesome!
I got a few tips from the judges, but not directly from Vaslov, the brewmaster. I’m going to try to find some undermodified pilsner and do a triple decoction next time for more malt complexity.
Not sure where you find the undermodified malt. If you locate some, lets us all know.
The Weyermann Floor Malted Bohemian is around 38 on the Kohlbach index, so it is full modified. I did a double decoction on mine with the floor malted, and it still needed more malt flavor. Not sure I want to do the tripple.
I think there was an article in Zymurgy that stated they crash cool at PU to keep the beer from getting too dry. Might have to try that on a 5 gallon batch.
Well done, Here’s to ya! PU has always been one of my favorites, but i have never brewed a BoPils successfully. I keep ending up with pretty decent German Pils. You inspire me to keep on trying though.
Thanks for passing on the tips.
Cheers
Care to share more details, like a more exact hop schedule??? if not, I understand…
-red
For 10 gallons:
75 minute boil
@60 - 3 oz of 3.2% Saaz pellets
@30 - 4 oz
@10 - 2 oz
Set the fridge to 46
Looking at my notes, it was Wyeast 860, which is the Helles yeast, not the Bock yeast.
Edit to add batch size
Thanks Jeff!
Thank you!